Oct 19, 2026 5:06pm IST
Small Screen, Massive Schedules: Television’s Hardest-Working Under-40 TV Stars
As lowered TV budgets make it tougher for producers to cast popular senior stars, there are a few young actors who seem to be bagging filling the void. Names like Gautam Rode, Vivian Dsena, Shaheer Sheikh and others have been staying away from fiction programming on Indian TV. However, younger stars like Fahmaan Khan, Namik Paul, Rohit Suchanti and Gautam Vig are on a golden run when it comes to being signed up for shows on popular channels.
Here is a look at TV's male stars under 40 who are the busiest in the business.
Namik Paul, 39
Namik Paul has completed a decade in the TV industry. While some of his shows did not have long runs, Paul has managed to emerge as one of the most loved faces. He will be seen next as Karan Oberoi in “Mannat - Har Khushi Paane Ki.”
Shows: "Mannat - Har Khushi Paane Ki," (2026), “Naagin 7,” (2025-26) “Kasautii Zindagii Kay 2” (2020), “Lag Ja Gale,” (2023) and “Kumkum Bhagya” (2025).
Rohit Purohit, 38
Purohit was seen as a supporting actor for many big-budget shows before his stint as Alexander in “Porus” (2017) got the audience’s attention.
Shows: Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai” (2024 - ongoing) and “Udaariyaan” (2022-2023).
Ankit Gupta, 37
Ankit Gupta broke through in the big league after “Udaariyaan” where he played the role of Fateh Singh Virk.
Shows: “Bigg Boss 16” (2022), “Junooniyatt” (2023), “Maati Se Bandhi Dor” (2024) and the upcoming “Mera Sindoor.”
Adnan Khan, 37
In less than a decade, Khan has built a reputation for himself as a formidable actor. The 2018 show, “Ishq Subhan Allah” made him a household name.
Shows: “Katha Ankahee” (2022-2023), “Mannat - Har Khushi Paane Ki,” (2025-2026).
Fahmaan Khan, 36
The actor has been one of the busiest in the past few years after his stellar act as Aryan Singh Rathod in “Imlie.” He will be seen next in “Shubh Shagun Shahnaaiyan” that will air soon on a leading GEC.
Shows: “Imlie” (2021-22), “Pyar Ke Saat Vachan" (2022) and “Iss Ishq Ka Rabb Rakha” (2024-25).
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Sheizaan Khan, 32
Sheizaan Khan is seen as Sidhu in “Ganga Mai Ki Betiyan,” one of the most successful shows of recent times. Despite facing some setbacks, Khan has been very prolific in the acting space.
Shows: “Ganga Mai Ki Betiyan” (2025) is now on air. He was also seen in “Nazar 2” (2020), “Ali Baba: Dastaan-E-Kabul” (2022) and “Khatron Ke Khiladi 13” (2023).
Krushal Ahuja, 32
Krushal Ahuja started off in Bengali daily soaps like “Ranu Pelo Lottery” and “Ki Kore Bolbo Tomay” before moving to Hindi shows.
Shows: “Rishton Ka Manjha” (2021-22), “Jhanak” (2023-2025), “Binddii” (2025) and “Taara” (2026).
Rohit Suchanti, 30
Suchanti made inroads into showbiz in his adolescence with youth shows. He is one of the few young actors to have a show that aired for close to four years.
Shows: He was seen in the recently concluded “Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2” (2025-2026) and the ongoing “Kyunki Rishton Ke Bhi Roop Badalte Hain” (2026). His serial “Bhagyalakshmi” ran for four years.
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Ishaan Dhawan, 30
He might not be one of the most viral young actors but has delivered excellent performances since his debut in 2020 with “Bebaakee” as Hamid Alqazi.
Shows: “Gud Se Meetha Ishq” (2022), “Dhruv Tara - Samay Sadi Se Pare” (2023-24) and “Yeh Fitoor Tera” (2026).
Pravisht Mishra, 28
Mishra started off as a child artiste in mythological shows like “Mahabharat,” “Siya Ke Ram,” “Suryaputra Karn,” to name a few. It was “Barrister Babu” that made him one of the popular young actors on TV. He is presently seen in "Bareilly Ke Bacchan."
Shows: “Kahaan Hum Kahaan Tum,” (2019-2020), “Barrister Babu” (2020-21), “Yeh Hai Chahatein” (2023-2024), “Bareilly Ke Bacchan” (2026).
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